MAY 24 "A NEW COMMAND?"

     JESUS is going to be leaving his disciples, I'm sure that brought allot of thoughts to his mind about what was best to address with his disciples.  In Jesus' absence, what would need to be addressed? With this going through his mind, this is what Jesus comes up with. " a new command I am giving you, "love one another" by this men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another".  What would be one of the major concerns in Jesus' absence, according to Jesus, that these men would bicker, fight and devour one another without him there to be the peacemaker.  Pastor's spend half their time trying to convince congregations members not to kill each other.  Paul writes in his epistles, "stop devouring one another". No doubt, Jesus' foremost concern, concerning his leaving the disciples is that He will no longer be around to be the peace maker. Who will keep these men from ripping each other apart....hmmm....hey guys, listen, A NEW COMMAND  I give you, LOVE ONE ANOTHER, okay? What is the response of the disciples? "Lord, where are you going?"  Nobody says, "yes, Lord, you're right, we need to love each other".  Jesus has just said, " A NEW COMMAND....."  and not one word is recorded in scripture as to any response from either of the twelve men that are sitting with him, concerning Jesus' new command. It goes right over their heard. I wonder if Jesus thought, "excuse me, did anybody hear what I just said, A NEW COMMAND, does anybody have any response, anybody here wondering why I gave you A NEW COMMAND?".  "Yeah, yeah...we know Lord, we know, love each other, love your neighbor as .....we know Lord".   BUT you don't know, that's why this is being brought up, you DON'T KNOW.   LOVE is sorely lacking 'till this day amongst the brethren.  We either despise one another because of our differences or we despise one another because we see each other as competitors.  We will befriend the young lambs, but ignore the older sheep.  LOVE ONE ANOTHER....yeah, yeah, I know, i know....Lord where are you going, that's what really concerns me.  JESUS I LOVE, it's people I can't stand, it's his sheep that get on my nerves.  Peter you love me? Than.....FEED MY SHEEP. (That will come later when Jesus re-appears to them after his resurrection.) We put much emphasis on "winning souls" and little emphasis on loving them. Could it be that we find it easier to preach to someone, fill out a convert card than to love and nurture them on their journey and walk with God. MANY want to catch fish, but few want to clean them up once they're caught. I once went fishing with my wife, she liked to catch the fish, just didn't want to mess with them after they were caught. How accurately this describes the Church today. What's ironic about all this is the bible clearly tells us that we CAN DOD NOTHING to save a soul, but we can do everything to LOVE.  Jesus didn't tell Peter to "save souls"...what did Jesus tell Peter???.... "Feed my sheep, care for my sheep".  A NEW COMMAND I GIVE YOU, LOVE ONE ANOTHER, BY THIS MEN WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES.  When we put this into practice, then we will see the scripture fulfilled, "and those that were being saved were added to the church daily."

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